Clarisse Agbégnénou misses podium in Baku as French judo struggles at World Championships

Agbégnénou finishes seventh in Baku return

Clarisse Agbégnénou failed to reach the podium at the 2026 World Judo Championships in Baku on Wednesday, finishing seventh in the women's under-63 kg division. The 33-year-old French athlete, who previously claimed world titles in 2014, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2021, and 2023 alongside individual gold at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, was making her tournament return seven months after giving birth to her second child. After an opening-round bye, Agbégnénou overcame Slovenia's Kaja Kajzer Zabkar in the round of 32. She followed with a victory over Canadian world and Olympic medallist Catherine Beauchemin-Pinard, scoring a decisive yuko with seconds remaining on the clock. In the quarter-finals, Agbégnénou faced 23-year-old Anna Kriza of Hungary, conceding a waza-ari in golden score. She was subsequently defeated in the repechage round by world number two Enkhriilen Lkhagvatogoo of Mongolia.

It is rubbish, I was rubbish in the last two fights, really, there is nothing more to say other than I was rubbish and I expected to see myself at a better level.

Coaching staff assesses performance drop

Agbégnénou expressed self-criticism following her elimination, stating that she arrived in Baku with adequate physical condition, no pain, and minimal competitive anxiety. The result came after a bronze-medal return at the Lausanne Grand Slam in late August, where she had defeated Kriza in head-to-head competition. Coach Kilian Le Blouch noted that Agbégnénou failed to establish her rhythm during her final two bouts, missing the baseline podium objective set for the event. France experienced another setback in the same division as Manon Deketer exited the tournament in the round of 16.

We really did not come for a seventh place. The minimum contract was a medal.

Federation reviews methods after two-medal start

Agbégnénou's seventh-place finish concluded a difficult opening four days for the French delegation in Azerbaijan. France has claimed two bronze medals across the first half of the tournament, with Shirine Boukli finishing third in the women's under-48 kg division on Sunday and Dayyan Boulemtafes taking bronze in the men's under-73 kg category on Tuesday. Defending men's under-73 kg world champion Joan-Benjamin Gaba suffered a first-round defeat on Tuesday while returning from an injury layoff. French Judo Federation president Stéphane Nomis stated that the four-day tally sits far behind the federation target of four gold medals. Nomis noted that returning competitors lacked match sharpness, adding that officials may review coaching methods, personnel, and coordination between clubs and the national federation.

After all, you count the medals at the end, but my first four days are bad. We have to call a spade a spade. There are things to question.